System and Method for Imei Detection and Alerting

1. A server for use with a plurality of mobile stations each having an international mobile equipment identity (“IMEI”) and a plurality of functional capabilities, the server comprising: a programmed routine configured to determine whether a device capability data for one of the plurality of mobile stations indicates the associated IMEI is the same as the IMEI that is received with a SIM data to the programmed routine, the device capability data associating an associated IMEI of each mobile station with a plurality of functional capabilities of the mobile station, identify at least one new functional capability associated with the IMEI but not associated with the associated IMEI upon determining the IMEI is not the same as the associated IMEI, and initiate configuration of the mobile station to support the at least one new functional capability upon determining the IMEI is not the same as the associated IMEI, wherein a determination of whether the device capability data for the IMEI is associated with at least one new functional capability not associated with the associated IMEI is not performed upon determining the IMEI is the same as the associated IMEI.

2. The server in claim 1 , wherein the device capability data includes a plurality of functional capabilities obtained by referencing a hardware information for the mobile station.

3. The server in claim 1 , wherein the programmed routine is further configured to notify an entity that the IMEI is different than the associated IMEI.

4. The server in claim 1 , wherein the IMEI and the SIM data are sent to the programmed routine from a mobile switching center, the mobile switching center configured to receive the IMEI and the SIM data from each mobile station.

5. The server in claim 4 , wherein the mobile switching center is further configured to forward the IMEI and the SIM data of each mobile station to at least one of a home location register and a visitor location register.

6. The server in claim 1 , wherein the device capability data is stored in an IMEI database in communication with the programmed routine.

7. The server in claim 1 , wherein the IMEI and the SIM data are received by the programmed routine in the form of at least one of a short message service message, a multimedia message service message, an e-mail message, and an unstructured supplementary services data message.

8. A method for a mobile communications network including a plurality of subscriber identity modules including SIM data, each subscriber identity module being removably coupled to one of a plurality of mobile stations, each mobile station having an international mobile equipment identity (“IMEI”) and a plurality of functional capabilities, and each mobile station being configured to transmit the SIM data and the IMEI, the method comprising: initiating configuration of one of the mobile stations to support at least one functional capability identified as associated with the IMEI received with a SIM data to the mobile communications network but not associated with an associated IMEI of a device capability data for the mobile station upon determining the IMEI is not the same as the associated IMEI, the device capability data associating an associated IMEI of each mobile station with a plurality of functional capabilities of the mobile station, wherein a determination of whether the device capability data for the IMEI is associated with at least one new functional capability not associated with the associated IMEI is not performed upon determining the IMEI is the same as the associated IMEI.

9. The method in claim 8 , further comprising storing the IMEI and the SIM data in a history.

10. The method in claim 8 , further comprising referencing a hardware information for the mobile station to determine the at least one new functional capability.

11. The method in claim 8 , further comprising notifying an entity that the IMEI is different than the associated IMEI.

12. The method in claim 8 , further comprising forwarding the IMEI and the SIM data of each mobile station to at least one of a home location register and a visitor location register.

13. The method in claim 8 , further comprising receiving the IMEI and the SIM data in the form of at least one of a short message service message, a multimedia message service message, an e-mail message, and an unstructured supplementary services data message.

14. A device for use with a mobile communications network, the device comprising: a subscriber identity module (SIM); a SIM application stored on the SIM, the SIM application configured to determine whether an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) is the same as a previous IMEI as previously checked by the SIM application, and transmit the IMEI to the mobile communications network upon determining that the IMEI is not the same as the previous IMEI, wherein the IMEI is not transmitted upon determining the IMEI is the same as the previous IMEI; wherein the mobile network initiates configuration to support at least one new functional capability identified as associated with the IMEI but not associated with the previous IMEI of a device capability data upon determining the IMEI is not the same as the previous IMEI, the device capability data associating a previous IMEI with a plurality of functional capabilities.

15. The device in claim 14 , wherein the SIM application is further configured to transmit the IMEI to the mobile communications network as at least one of a short message service message, a multimedia message service message, an e-mail message, and an unstructured supplementary services data message.

16. The device in claim 14 , wherein the SIM application is further configured to notify an entity in communication with the mobile communications network that the IMEI is different than the previous IMEI.

17. The device in claim 14 , wherein the SIM application is further configured to transmit the IMEI and the SIM data to at least one of a home location register and a visitor location register.

18. The device in claim 14 , wherein the SIM application is further configured to store the IMEI and the SIM data in a history.

19. The device in claim 14 , wherein the SIM application is configured to transmit the IMEI and the SIM data to a mobile switching center in communication with the mobile communications network.

20. The device in claim 14 , wherein the SIM application is further configured to receive configuration to support the at least one new functional capability.